Some folks need hugging lessons

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness an epidemic, ringing the alarm that social isolation was causing mental and physical harm. Teenagers were reporting record levels of sadness. Suicide rates were at a record high. While Covid kept people from their friends, families and peers, there were other factors at play, which Dr. Murthy described in his May 2023 report—namely the advent of smartphone technology and the rise of social media. Once heralded as innovations, these creations of private industry were suddenly the problem…

Investor money is fueling…startups that aim to strengthen friendships and provide community. The founders of SoulCycle received $7.2 million in funding from Maveron, the venture-capital firm…for its new wellness center Peoplehood, which runs guided group conversations aimed at improving relationships. Former Tinder CEO Renate Nyborg has raised $4.9 million from investors…to make Meeno, an AI chatbot that helps people practice difficult conversations. 

Miki Agrawal says Belong Center has secured about $750,000 of committed funding from donors including Sam Ben-Avraham, co-founder of sneaker store Kith, celebrity mycologist Paul Stamets and Monty Moran, a former Chipotle executive. Its board members include the physician and social-media personality Mark Hyman; former CEO of period-underwear company Thinx…software entrepreneur Ping Fu, who is also on the board of Burning Man; and the chef and philanthropist (and Elon’s brother) Kimbal Musk.

It’s the American Way, folks. If you’re confronting a social issue…never been “aware” of it in your lifetime…it’s automagically more ghastly than anything humanity has ever faced. We invent a congregation to encourage more folks to join us. And, yes, some folks will step aside and founder in unhappiness, self-pity.

But, it really doesn’t require “big thoughts”. Just backbone and concern for the rest of the folks in the same boat.

Stand together.